Tender, flavorful corned beef bakes low and slow in the oven with cabbage, potatoes, and carrots for an easy one-pot St. Patrick’s Day dinner. A touch of brown sugar and Guinness stout make this Dutch oven recipe extra special, and you only need about 10 minutes of hands-on prep before the oven does the rest.
If you love this recipe, try our Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage for a slow cooker version, or make a batch of Guinness Beef Stew for another cozy, hearty meal. Use leftover brisket in a classic Reuben Sandwich, too!
What Is Corned Beef and Cabbage?
Corned beef and cabbage is an Irish-American tradition that dates back to the mid-18th century, when Irish immigrants in the United States turned to affordable beef brisket and cabbage as a comforting, filling meal. It’s become one of the most popular St. Patrick’s Day dinners in America, and for good reason. The brined brisket cooks up tender and flavorful, and the vegetables soak up all of those delicious juices.
Before You Get Started
A few simple choices before you start will make all the difference in how this dish turns out.
- Buy the flat cut brisket. Look for a pre-brined corned beef brisket with a spice packet included. The flat cut cooks evenly and slices beautifully. Skip the “point cut,” which has irregular marbling and is harder to slice neatly.
- Place the brisket fat-side up on top of the vegetables. The fat melts down over the meat as it bakes, keeping it moist and flavorful.
- Cut your vegetables to similar sizes so everything finishes cooking at the same time. Halve or quarter baby potatoes, and cut the cabbage into even wedges.
- Slice against the grain after resting. Let the brisket rest 5 to 10 minutes, then slice thinly perpendicular to the lines of muscle fiber. This is the single biggest factor in whether your corned beef feels tender or tough.
How to Make Corned Beef and Cabbage in the Oven
This is a true “dump and bake” dinner. You’ll spend about 10 minutes layering everything in the pot, and then the oven takes over for a few hours.
Step 1: Layer the Vegetables
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Place the halved baby potatoes in the bottom of a large Dutch oven, followed by the baby carrots, cabbage wedges, and pearl onions.
The potatoes go on the bottom because they take the longest to cook and benefit from being closest to the heat and the braising liquid.
⇢ Use frozen pearl onions straight from the bag. No need to thaw them first. They save a lot of time compared to peeling and slicing fresh onions, and they cook down beautifully.
Step 2: Add the Braising Liquid
Pour the Guinness stout (or beef broth) over the vegetables. The liquid helps create steam inside the covered pot, which keeps everything moist and tender as it bakes.
⇢ Guinness adds rich, malty depth that pairs perfectly with the brined beef. If you’d prefer to skip the alcohol, beef broth is a fine substitute and the dish will still be delicious.
Step 3: Season and Place the Brisket
Rub the top and sides of the brisket with the brown sugar, then sprinkle the contents of the seasoning spice packet over the meat.
Place the brisket fat-side up on top of the vegetables. The brown sugar balances the salty, savory flavor of the cured meat and brings out a subtle sweetness in the vegetables as it cooks.
⇢ No spice packet? If your brisket didn’t come with one, mix together 1 teaspoon each of whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds with 2 bay leaves and a pinch of ground allspice. Sprinkle over the meat along with the brown sugar.
Step 4: Cover and Bake
Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and bake at 350°F for about 3 hours.
The meat is done when it’s fork-tender and reaches an internal temperature of about 195 to 205°F. If you have a larger brisket (over 4 pounds), you may need an additional 30 to 60 minutes.
⇢ Keep the lid on the entire time. The sealed lid traps moisture and creates a braising environment. Peeking too often lets steam escape and can dry out the meat.
Don’t be surprised by the pink color of the cooked meat. Corned beef stays pink because nitrite is used in the curing process. It’s not a sign that the meat is undercooked.
Step 5: Rest and Slice
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes. While it rests, use a slotted spoon to arrange the vegetables on a serving platter.
When you’re ready to carve, look for the long parallel lines of muscle fiber (the “grain”) running across the brisket. Slice thinly perpendicular to those lines, cutting against the grain. This shortens the muscle fibers and makes each slice incredibly tender.
If you slice with the grain instead, the meat will feel chewy and stringy.
Arrange the sliced brisket on the platter alongside the vegetables and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Slow Cooker Option ⇢ Check out my Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage recipe.
…My wife and I did this last night and loved it! It was so easy to make and everything came out great…5 stars for sure!
– Elliott M.
What to Serve with Corned Beef and Cabbage
Thanks to the beef, potatoes, carrots, and cabbage, you’ve already got a complete meal in one pot! That said, a few simple sides can round things out nicely.
Bread and starters:
- Irish soda bread
- Boston brown bread (or even my sour cream muffins)
- Guinness soup (great starter for a St. Patrick’s Day dinner)
Side dishes:
For something sweet to finish a St. Patrick’s Day meal, try my Guinness chocolate cake, a green Watergate salad (or Watergate cake), or an old-fashioned Irish whiskey cake.
Storage and Leftovers
Refrigerator: Leftover corned beef and cabbage will keep in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days.
Freezer: You can freeze the meat (without the vegetables) for up to 3 months. The texture of the potatoes and cabbage doesn’t hold up well after freezing and thawing, so it’s best to enjoy those within the first few days.
Reheating: Warm the corned beef and vegetables together in a Dutch oven on the stovetop over low heat, just until heated through. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave for 1 to 2 minutes.
Use up those leftovers! Tuck sliced brisket inside a Reuben sandwich (a personal favorite), turn it into a Reuben casserole, or use it in a hearty Corned Beef Hash for breakfast the next morning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to rinse the corned beef before cooking?
No, you don’t need to rinse off the brine. The brining liquid adds flavor to the meat, and the brown sugar and spice packet provide plenty of seasoning. Just remove the brisket from the packaging, pat it dry, and it’s ready to season and cook.
How do you know when corned beef is done?
The best way to check is with a meat thermometer. Corned beef is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 195 to 205°F and feels fork-tender. At this temperature, the tough connective tissue has broken down and the meat will slice easily.
If it still feels firm or resistant, return it to the oven and continue baking for another 20 to 30 minutes.
Do you cook corned beef fat side up or down?
Fat side up. This allows the fat cap to slowly melt and baste the meat as it bakes, keeping the brisket moist and flavorful. Placing it on top of the vegetables also protects them from direct heat and lets them cook gently in the braising liquid below.
Should corned beef be covered or uncovered while baking?
Covered. Keeping the lid on the Dutch oven traps steam and creates a braising environment, which is essential for breaking down the tough fibers in the brisket and making it tender. Baking uncovered would dry out the meat. Leave the lid on for the entire cooking time.
What if my corned beef doesn’t come with a spice packet?
You can make a simple blend at home. Combine 1 teaspoon each of whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds with 2 bay leaves and a pinch of ground allspice. Sprinkle this mixture over the brisket along with the brown sugar before baking. The flavors are warm and robust, similar to the traditional pickling spice blend.
This is the corned beef and cabbage recipe I’ve been looking for!! And I’ve tried lots. It was delicious…
– Judy
More St. Patrick’s Day Favorites
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Baked Corned Beef and Cabbage
Equipment
Ingredients
- 24 ounces baby gold potatoes, halved (or quartered for larger potatoes)
- 1 lb. baby carrots
- 1 small head green cabbage, cored and cut into about 8 wedges
- 1 (14 ounce) bag frozen pearl white onions (or 1 large yellow onion, sliced)
- ½ cup Guinness beer, or substitute with beef broth
- 1 (3½ to 4 lb.) pre-brined corned beef brisket (flat cut) with spice packet
- 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and onions (in that order) in the bottom of a large Dutch oven.
- Pour the beer or beef broth over the vegetables.
- Rub the top and sides of the brisket with the brown sugar. Sprinkle the seasonings from the spice packet over the meat. Place the brisket fat-side up on top of the vegetables in the Dutch oven.
- Cover the Dutch oven with the lid and bake for about 3 hours, or until the meat is fork-tender and reaches an internal temperature of 195 to 205°F. If you're using a larger brisket (over 4 pounds), you may need to increase the cooking time by 30 to 60 minutes. The meat will have a pink color because nitrite is used in the curing process. This is normal and does not mean the meat is undercooked.
- Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Thinly slice the meat against the grain (cut perpendicular to the long lines of muscle fiber running across the brisket). Serve the vegetables with a slotted spoon and arrange on a platter with the sliced meat. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
Notes
- Flat cut vs. point cut: Look for a flat cut brisket, which has a uniform shape and slices neatly. Point cut briskets have more irregular marbling and are harder to slice evenly.
- No spice packet? Combine 1 teaspoon each of whole peppercorns, mustard seeds, and coriander seeds with 2 bay leaves and a pinch of ground allspice. Sprinkle over the meat with the brown sugar.
- Fat-side up: Place the brisket fat-side up so the fat bastes the meat as it cooks.
- Don’t peek! Keep the Dutch oven lid on the entire time. The trapped steam creates a braising environment that keeps the meat tender and moist.
- Doneness check: The brisket is done when it reaches 195 to 205°F internally and a fork slides in with little resistance.
- Resting time matters. Let the brisket rest for at least 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. This helps the meat hold its juices and slice cleanly.
- Slice against the grain. Look for the parallel lines of muscle fiber and cut perpendicular to them (across the lines). This is the key to tender, melt-in-your-mouth slices.
- Guinness vs. beef broth: Guinness adds rich, malty depth, but beef broth is a great alcohol-free substitute.
- Frozen pearl onions do not need to be thawed before adding to the pot.
- Slow cooker option: Layer ingredients in a Crock Pot as directed. Cover and cook on LOW for 10 to 12 hours or on HIGH for 5 to 6 hours.
- Storage: Leftovers keep in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. Freeze the meat (without vegetables) for up to 3 months. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.
- Leftover ideas: Use extra corned beef for Reuben sandwiches, Reuben casserole, or corned beef hash.
Nutrition
Originally published in February, 2018, this post was updated in March, 2026.
Love the easy prep on this dish, with a winter as cold as this one, these are the kind of dishes I need, I will opt for the Guinness beer instead of the beef broth 🙂 thank you for the awesome recipe 🙂
Thanks, Albert! The Guinness is always a good idea!
I can’t believe this recipe doesn’t have any ratings yet. My wife and I did this last night and loved it!. It was so easy to make and everything came out great. We used red potatoes and a yellow onion instead and all of the vegetables came out incredibly soft and the corned beef was absolutely perfect. I wasn’t sure how it would all turn out, I thought maybe some veggies would be too mushy, but it was all soft and delicious
I didn’t have any stout beer, so we used a porter. Not sure how that affected the flavor, but it was still delicious.
Next time I think I’m going to scrape off a lot of the seasoning from the corned beef into the veggies after it’s all done and stir it up to add some more flavor to them.
Thank you very much, I’ll be trying more of the dump and bake recipes. Being fairly lazy and having a one year old, I thoroughly appreciate the easy dinners.
* It doesn’t appear that the site is letting me select a rating, hopefully that isn’t discouraging people from writing reviews.
5 stars for sure
Thank you so much, Elliott! I’m glad that you enjoyed it as much as we do!
I can’t wait to make this!!
I just made this yesterday for a family gathering. I only had potatoes and carrots and used the beef broth, and cooked two 2.5 lb. corned beefs together in the same large oval Dutch oven. My family practically swooned over the corned beef, declaring it to be the “best we ever had”. I thought I had made enough to have leftovers for hash, but all the meat was polished off at dinner (and even then they wanted more). Thanks for a SUPER recipe – it will be the only way I make corned beef from now on!!
This recipe turned out great. I used the Guinness stout and followed exactly except put some Dijon mustard on the meat prior to adding the season packet and brown sugar. Thank you for an easy tasty recipe.
Thanks, Sheri! 🙂
I will try this tonight only, Loved it.
Looking Very delicious and healthy! A must-try for every food buff. Thanks for sharing!
Hello! This recipe sounds so good and seems so easy to make, just one question if my corned beef is only a pound and half should I still cook for three hours? Everywhere I read says an hour a pound but I’m not sure
Thanks
This recipe was so simple and easy and the vegetables were perfectly done. I added some parsnips, too.
I believe I will make corned beef and cabbage more frequently with this recipe.
I bet the parsnips were a perfect addition, Lucy! Thanks for taking the time to leave me a note. 🙂
I make mine ALMOST the same way but:
First cover the pre corned beef w water bring to a boil until it foams- skim the foam then dump the water do that a total of 2-3 times takes out a lot of the excess salt I add the packet to last boil of water then it gets dumped (unless you wrap ithe spices in a cheese cloth to be easily removed before eating I use water instead of Guiness or beef broth (Im going to try the Guiness) BUT I use maple syrup instead of the Brown Sugar & I rub the corned beef brisket all over w a Spicy Honey Mustard. I definitely prefer the very slight maple flavor to the brown sugar (& has more nutrients in it)
How long in oven for 2.60lb brisket? And how much broth or beer for this size?
Hey, Rachel! I would still use about 1/2 cup of broth. It’s no big deal if you have some extra in the pot when it’s done. The 2.6 lb. brisket will probably need about 2 1/2 hours, but that’s just an estimate. A cut like that does really well cooking it low and slow, so it will just get nice and tender as it bakes. 🙂
I just put mine in the oven! I made a mustard brown sugar rub! Added the beer of course! I’m always looking for different recipes.
Thank you!
Awesome! Enjoy, Toby. Happy St. Patty’s Day! 🙂
This is the corned beef and cabbage recipe I’ve been looking for!! And I’ve tried lots. It was delicious. I used whole, small multi colored potatoes, the Guinness beer, and no brown sugar. Mine did not take as long to bake but was a bit smaller. Let the meat reach 160 degrees. Veggies were perfect.
Wonderful! Thank you, Judy! 🙂
This was an excellent recipe. The brown sugar slightly caramelized the vegetables and everything was cooked to perfection. Highly recommend this largely hands off one dish meal
Thank you! I’m so glad that it was a hit!
I’m trying this tonight, but all slow cooker recipes say to cover the meat or it will dry out & cooked uneven. It doesn’t feel right to only add 1/2 broth.
The key is to cook it with the fat side up! The fat drips down keeping the meat moist. Hope this helps!
I can’t wait to make this!!
I made this yesterday in my cast iron Dutch oven and will never make any other way! I put French’s Brown Sugar Bourbon Mustard on top and it was DELICIOUS!!!
Yay! That’s so good to hear, Mary. You just can’t beat the Dutch oven — especially for meals like this. So glad that you enjoyed it!
Whoops! I forgot to trim the fat and used a whole can of PBR. And I’m not sure how long to bake a 4lb brisket. Did I mess it up?
Hi, Suyong! No, you didn’t mess anything up. The extra liquid in the pot will result in more liquid in the pot at the end, but it should still be fine. The recipe is for a 4-lb. brisket, so you’ll want to cook at 350 for about 3 hours. Enjoy!
Great recipe Thanks Blair! My man is still raving about it!
Thank you, Pam! We had this last night as well — always delicious! 🙂
sounds good. of course the easiness is hat i look for. the only concrn is the brown sugar,does it mak it too sweet? plus i am diabetic so i try and do without too much added sugar. will it take away any flavor and could i sub anything else. just curious thanks for all the recipes you post for us
Hi, Jean! No, the brown sugar doesn’t make it too sweet (it just balances some of the acidity in the dish). If you prefer, you can omit that ingredient. The corned beef will still be great!
I plan on using 2, 3.5 lb eye of round corned beef roasts in this recipe, how long should I bake them at 350?
Hi, Marianne! I used a piece of meat that was about 3 1/2 – 4 lbs., so I would suggest that you follow these baking instructions to start (about 3 hours). Check it at that point, and increase the time if necessary.
Hi Blair, I am concerned that the vegetables will get to soggy being in the oven for longer than 3 hours. What is your suggestion?
Hi, Marianne! The vegetables (especially the potatoes) do get very tender! If you prefer a firmer potato, you can add them closer to the end (similar to what I do with my Dutch oven pot roast here: https://www.theseasonedmom.com/dutch-oven-pot-roast/ )
I would suggest waiting until the final 1 hours to stir the potatoes into the pot. Hope you enjoy!
Ok so I have Four 3-4 lb pieces I need to cook all at once. Do I use 4 separate pans? And 3-4 hours total all together? I was told you can’t get a tender corned beef under 6-8 hours 🙁 have you ever tried putting them in an oven bag?
Hi, Susan! I’ve never used an oven bag. This meat has always been very tender with the given cooking time, so hopefully you’ll find that to be the case. If you prefer, you can certainly put it in the slow cooker for longer (those instructions are included above in the blog post).
The number of pans that you use will depend on how big they are. You might be able to get two in a large pot, but I wouldn’t try to do more than that.
Wondering if I can cook this recipe in a roaster instead? If so, what is a suggested temp and time?
Hi Ann,
We have not tested this in a roaster and cannot attest to the time and temperature needed for it to cook properly.
Hello! What size dutch oven do you have? Thank you
Hi, Jenn! I have a number of Dutch ovens, but the one shown in this recipe is the Le Creuset 7.25-quart Dutch oven. Hope that helps!